I just saw Gandhi, and it was an incredibly moving movie. I can't say how well it reflects Gandhi's actual life, and the political situation at the time, but as a movie, it really touched my heart. I plan on reading more about him. Here is one of the scenes that stayed with me. After the U.K. granted Indian independence, the Indian government voted to make Pakistan a separate (Muslim) country in order to stave of civil war. In the ensuing chaos, where Muslims and Hindus became fearful and mistrustful of each other, massive violence broke out. A disheartened Gandhi began a fast which was to end either when he died or when the sectarian violence was ended. In the movie, a delegation of people came to tell Gandhi that they had agreed to stop fighting, that in mosques and hindu temples around the country people had vowed to stop. Gandhi is so weak from fasting he can barely talk:
Nahari: I'm going to Hell! I killed a child! I smashed his head against a wall.
Gandhi: Why?
Nahari: Because they killed my son! The Muslims killed my son!
[indicates boy's height]
Gandhi: I know a way out of Hell. Find a child, a child whose mother and father were killed and raise him as your own.
[indicates same height]
Gandhi: Only be sure that he is a muslim and that you raise him as one.
1 comment:
Lauren loves the movie. I gave it to her, but haven't seen it yet.
More proof Kingsley is awesome.
I thought it was an odd casting choice; though he really looks the part, but L. tells me that he is half indian/half white, just as (I didn't know this) Gandhi was.
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